Air entrainment propulsion method in craft supported chiefly by air pressure



. Oct. 23, 1945. D. K. WARNER AIR ENTRAINMENT PROPULSION METHOD IN CRAFT SUPPORTED CHIEFLY BY AIR PRESSURE iled Dec. 3, 4 Sheets-Sheet i 1N VENTOR.

Q ZQM Oct. 23, 1945.

ER AIR ENTRAINMENT PROPULSION METHOD IN CRAFT SUPPORTED CHIEFLY BY AIR PRESSURE D. K. WARN 2,387,627

Filed Dec. 3, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V ENTOR.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 23, 1945. D. K. WARNER 7 AIR ENTRAINMENT PROPULSION METHOD IN CRAFT SUPPORTED CHIEFLY BY AIR PRESSURE Filed Dec. 5,1941

6% a P M t V n\h INVENTOR.

O 1945- D. K. WARNER AIR ENTRAINMENT PROPULSION METHOD IN CRAFT SUPPORTED GHIEFLY BY AIR PRESSURE 3, 194] 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 23, 1945 IN CRAFT SUPPORT PRESSURE ED CHIEFLY BY AIR Douglas K; Warner, Sarasota, Fla. Application Dccember3, 1941, Serial No. 421,457

, 20 Claims. This'invention relates to skimming and flying craft, and to certain entrainment and other methods of propulsion of such vessels, withespecial reference to jet propulsion. It is a development of the inventions described in my copending applications for patents, Serial Numbers 252,476 (since issued as Patent No. 2,277,620, 336,545, 365,446, and 337,448.

The primary objects of the present invention are to increase the power and efiiciency of the craft by improved means and method both in the production by the engines and fans of pressure-lift and thrust, and in the indraught and entrainment of air at the leading edge, as well as in the conservation of the pressure and power and its employment in a rearward jet, with further entrainment of air in conjunction therewith; to'provide means for removing the water spray-laden air at the nose of the craft, avoiding its contacting the propeller-fans; to provide means for effectively maintaining an air-cushion beneath the craft and sealing it from escape of air; to provide means for varying the amount of air-intake as the craft progresses; to produce a propeller fan or compressor which will more efficiently work to entrain and compress air at the nose both directly. and supplementarily, with a smaller diameter of ,fan, yet increasing the volume of air compressed thereby, with concomitantly lighter weight and better vision; to govern the sealing mechanism efiectively over a rough surface and reducing the drag thereof in air, when higher speeds render sealing temporarily unnecessary; and in general to improve the working, the strength, simplicity and efiiciency of all the elements of the invention and of the craft.

With these and other objects in view, the presentinvention consists first in a form of craft constructed at the nose in such manner as to cooperate with its engines and fans in the intake of a large volume of air compressed and discharged in high velocity and high pressure behind the fan; second, in a propeller and compressor. fan with novel blades, and an engine or engines mounted in connection with the same, having a casing or housing rearward thereof, of a size to permit the fan circumference to extend beyond the same, and both discharge and initially diffuse the air in an annular area around the engine housing, where, it is further diifused and its velocity largely transformedinto higher pressure; third, in a pressure chamber beneath the floor of the craft from nose to tail in which the air is accumulated; fourth, in directing the engine exhaust rearwardly behind the fan hub, so that it is compressed with the air; fifth, in an entrainedair inlet below the fan-casing, and a movable airfoil helping to form an entrainment nozzle whose throat and exit areas increase with the speed of the plane, whereby much more air is entrained by the fan-blast at high-speed, whereby :also water spray may be removed through a passage beneath the fan-blades and'be separated therefrom in order that the said spray may not injure the fan-blades; sixth, in directing and forcingall this gaseous volume through the pressure chamber to the tail, and ejecting it in a jet at the trailing edge of the craft; seventh, in providing such flaps at the tail-jet as will help r e-transform the high-pressure energy again into velocity and entrain matter from the surface beneath to increase the propulsion thrust energy; eighth, in forming the top surface of the craft and its tail into a stream-lined deflector of the outer air down said tail and arranging channels at the bottom thereof, making a rear entrainment passage connecting said outer air with the propulsion jet from within, for added propulsive power by entrainment of additional air from above the plane in said tail-jet to increase its propulsive thrust and efliciency during operation of the craft, according to the varying conditions and consequent requirements of the flight or voyage; ninth, in a series of depending flaps at front as well as rear, and along each side of the craft especially devised to seal said front and rear and sides of the vessel and the air-cushionunder the boat, to work in unison when any uniform condition so causes, and independently under other conditions such as waves or rough water; lastly it consists in various other factors and detailsof construction operating in conjunction with the herein-stated features to accomplish the objects hereinbefore recited.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which the like reference numerals designate like parts in the several views;

Figure I is a longitudinal central section of a compression plane embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same, without the wings, thus in the form of a skimming plane;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the tail of the plane, showing the tail-flap, its operating mechanism, the tail gas-tank, the method of entraining air and water at this point;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a portion of the tail;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional elevation of certain of the sealing plates forming part of my invention, greatly enlarged relatively to the other figures;

Figure 6 is a section of the sa e, substantially on the line 3-3;

, Figure 'l'is a; reverse or bottom plan view 0 one half of a flyingor fiyable compression plane.

embodying this invention, showing the several sealing means hereinbefore mentioned;

- Figure 8 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 9 is an enlarged plan of the wing leading edge sealing flap;

Figure is a sid view of the same.

In the form of 1 my invention in, which I have so far begun to construct it, the body I is made in the shape and general proportions illustrated in Figure 1, though the invention is not limited thereto. The roof 2| of the plane or craft is cambered and streamlined so that it slopes down practically to the water or the floor of the craft at the trailing edge not only for reduction of resistance but for direction and deflection of all air, rearwardly and down to the point specified, where such air, as I shall indicate hereafter, is drawn and entrained down that sloping inclined stern to an entraining jet. and source of propulsive; power.

Upon thetop of the craft, just back of its nose, is mounted a front fin 2. At rear, beginning at a point quite well forward of the tail, is a rear fin 3, projecting upwardly from the inclined roof of th tail to a height above; the roof of the craft at its peak, and seen in profile, as in Figure 1, rises. on anogee curve from its forward fixation to the trailing edge. a rudder 4. At the extreme end of the tail, are set the fuel tanks 6, extending across the craft, held by braces 6|, and having pipes 30 leading therefrom forward to any desired point.

The body of the craft is a hollow metallic, plastic, plywood or other shell, in the form shown, its floor commencing up near the roof, and in junctiontherewith, andlowering rearwardly on an ogee curve. The forward portion, of this curved floor being concaved upwardly, and the joined roof convexed, they form the upper leading edge and upper sector of the nose of the craft. Within said nose, under the floor of the body, I m unt one or more internalv combustion engines, not shown, being within the engin housing or encasement H. The fan 9 has a conical hub, with blades Ill of deep camber much longer at their leading than at their trailing edges. The fan casing 22, continuous at top with the rooffloor junction, and depending therefrom, forms the remainder of the nose.

The engine housing I l is projected rearwardly in nearly the shape of a right-angled triangle, as shown in Figure 1, of such dimensions that the fan blades II] project beyond the same circumferentially, and thus there is formed an annular passage l4 above and below the housing ll, beneath the floor. An exhaust passage l2 leads behind the fan rearwardly under the housing I I. By examination of Figure 1, it will be seen that there are intentionally formed at the front of the plane, within its nose, two distinct and efficient diffusing instrumentalities, or pressure creators, expressly designed to transform velocity energy into pressure. First, there. is indraught of air through the. nose formed. flaring rearwardly, and said air is. forced through between the fan blades H], where the conical hub of the fan and the walls of the nose form an annular exit of increasing area rearwardly which ejects 'said air compressed and at both high pressure and reduced velocity into the pressure chamber which lies beneath the floor 20. Second, as the passage 14 is, by the shape of the engine housing [I and of the floor 28, formed flaring rearwardly, there is a diffusion of the air there, which reduces part of the velocity energy into pressure energy. The engine exhaust through the fan passage [2, mingles with the air and heats the same, andincreases the energy. The passage I4 is continu- At its rear, this fin carriesous all around the engine housing II, and thus may be considered as a unitary annular chamber or forward part of the pressure. chamber beneath the floor; which pressurechamber continues rearwardly under said floor to the trailing edge.

Immediately below the fan casing 22 I pivot an air-foil l5, which is substantially semi-circular in front view, as seen in Figure 2. This being hung at a certain short distance under the fancasing, leaves 'a similarly semi-circular orifice l3 between them. The air-foil I5 is pivoted upon a pipe I1, at rear, is held by double-acting aircylinder 25, and is controlled also by the pilot. It has. a cambered upper surface, by means whereof the orifice I3 is contracted at rear to form this orifice also into a narrowed nozzle, directed into the passage l4.

Back of and beneath the air-foil I5 is a series of depending flaps 8, pivoted at top, and normally lying closed rearwardly by a double acting cylinder 25, having a piston connecting-rod 28 pivoted thereto, being elevated to a position shown in dotted lines as 8 The orifice l3 receives air and water-spray thereinto in progress of the craft, which it discharges in a jet out of its rear narrowed: nozzle end, under the entrainment effect of the jet hub 9 of the compressor fan.

Along the entire length of the craft from the flaps 8 to the tail, I mount a series of depending side-sealing flaps 24, on both port and starboard. sides of the vessel, which are shown in Figure 1, lying on the surface of the water, with said sealing flaps touching the surface. These side seal-- ing flaps 24 are shown in enlarged detail in Figures 5 and 6, and in Figure 7are shown in bottom plan, where they are attached to one of the wings. These flaps are stepped or overlapped (Figures 5, 6 and 7) to effect complete sealing. The wingfiaps 62 ('7, 8,19 and 10) hang from pivots 48, beneath the leading edge 63 of the wing, 4|, to swing on a perpendicular arc and braced, as indicated in Figure 9 in dotted line 64. The wings 4| are preferably stub-wings. Where the flaps are placed direct on the hull, then on the insideof the outer wall 42 of the craft, at each side, I hang on pivots 48, set in bearings 5|, the sealing flaps 24, which are thin, light, buoyant plates of I any desired material, but necessarily rustless and non-corrosible. The plates being pivoted at their upper front corners, tend to drop into operative position by gravity, but this being slow of action, I attach helical springs 52 around the pivot pins 48,. one end of said springs bearing against the plate 24. In constructing these plates, I may build them up in much the same way as shown in my Patent No. 1,855,076, wherein the bottom of the ship is of a cellular form to include sufllcient air-spaces to afford buoyancy. These flaps 2-4 are provided with lateral braces 44, diagonally disposed, having their inner ends set in bearings 45, fixed to thebottom of'the hull, and said braces being formed of light hollow rods of rustless and non-corrosive alloy steel. These flaps are free to rise and fall, the upper position being indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5. Slots 44* are notched in the hull to receive the brace-rods 44 therein.

The compressed air'under the floor of the craft is ejected in a wide jet at the tail. Here I pivota series of flaps 1, hinged at top, and operating in channels 23 formed between the main body at thetail, and the fuel tanks. 6 which project beyond; The raised position of these flapsv I is shown at? in dotted lines, Figure 3. They are:

ends whereof are pivotally supported in bearings 29 beneath the tail. A double-acting cylinder 25 is connected to this flap 60, and soto the flap I,

to swing the same, its piston connecting-rod 28 being pivoted thereto at said bearing 29. Above the cylinder 25 are mounted reservoirs 35 and 36 as shown in Figure 3, which are filled .with compressed air, and control the cylinders 25 through pipes'thereto and any usual means of adjusting pressure either before flight, depending upon the load carried, or by any suitable means under control of the pilot. All of the cylinders 25 are similarly air-filled, of course, and by similar reservoirs.

Windows are located in the nose and body of the craft as desired. I have not shown any controls or instruments since these form no part of my invention.

Where enough power is built into the craft to enable it to take oif and fly over a storm, the design shown in my copending application Serial No. 365,446 hereinbefore mentioned may be employed satisfactorily. Figure 7 showshalf of a plane such as that. In this case, the sealing flaps 62 combine somewhat the functions of the bow flaps 8 and the side sealing flaps 24. And in general, the flaps 62 close off the sides of the plane much as do the flaps 24.

It is essential that the wing flaps 62 operate without mutual friction; they are made as wide as possible with the least possible clearance between them. Their leading edges are perpendicular tothe centre line of the vessel, and where the wing tapers its lower leading edge is cut with indentations or cover plates 55 which enclose the forward portion of the flaps near the pivot. As may be seen, each pivot shaft is located rearwardly and downwardly from that of the adjoining fiap nearer the ships centre line. Since these flaps function in part like the bow flaps 8, as will hereinafter more fully be explained, they may require cylinders 25 under air-pressure and also the helical springs 52 on each flap as before described.

When this vessel shown in the present drawings is made in large size, for use as a skimming aircraft carrier, it will, if constructed in the shape shown in Figure 7, have a fiat upper surface adapted to receive planes thereon and to takeofi therefrom; and if in the form shown in Figure 1, its top will of course similarly be made fiat enough to cover this feature. Such a carrier will be capable of carrying loads far beyond aircraft of today of comparative size, as is also the case with all types of craft and smaller planes made according to my invention.

In the operation of my improved skimming and flying vessel, the gunning of the engines will at once start compression by the compressor-fan or fans, which will draw in air through the open flared nose, compress it and force it out on all the circumference of the fan, both above and below the engine housing H. The conical hub 9 of the fan, its form of cambered blades longer at the leading edges, and the form of the entrance,

will combine in action so that the fans will discharge compressed air at both high velocity and high pressure into the passage l4 behind, and into the diffusion-chamber or pressure chamber which is formed beneath the floor of the craft.

There, by the diffusive eilect of the said chamber, by the election from the annular exit formed by the conical .fan-hub and the nose, into this widened chamber, most of the velocity energy of the air will be converted to pressure energy. All

will be forced along and under the floor to the tail of the craft, where it will be ejected, with effects I shall outline shortly. Meanwhile, at theof it 'will be utilized as a high pressure air and exhaust cushion in the pressure chamber, and said high pressure gaseous volume thereafter leading edge or bow, air is being entrained through the orifice l3 in the nose, formed by the fan-casing l2 and the air-foil 15. Most of the water will be deflected downwardly by saidairfoil with added lift, and any spray sent ahead will be drawn through the orifice below the fan.

The air discharged at the throat of the nozzle constituted by the air-foil and fan-casing, will lie right in the path of the air-stream from the fan, and this exhaust and heated air stream will entrain and by suction draw out the said air through said orifice l3, and draw it'both rearwardly and downwardly in its swift paths down and back shown by the arrows in Figure 1. In

the progress of the craft, the quantity of air brought in, to the nose will be increased, and

also the quantity of said air coming through the orifice, as this orifice is enlarged at higher speeds, under pilot control, and since also the pressure differential duced.

By reason of the bottom of the hull being formed with the pressure chamber beneath it,

and suchchamber being enclosed on all sides by the front and rear and side fiaps, the effective power of both lift and propulsive thrust will be conserved and fully utilized in a manner hitherto not accomplished. At the tail of the craft, there will be discharged from this pressure chamber so formed open at the bottom to the water, and

sealed on all sides by the several series of flaps,

high speeds most unusually high loads due to increasin the amount and thus the weight of material in the jet. This compressed-air and exhaust stream, which being. a heated mixture of exhaust gases and air, is more effective than plain air. The orifice l3, as seen in Figure 2, is only at the lower sector of the fan casing. When the air-foil I5 is lowered at the mouth, against the action of its cylinder 25, the mouth widens far more than its throat, because of the pivoting thereof being at the rear, and not only is more air admitted, but the widening of the nozzle formed by the air..foil and the base of the fancasing 22 leaves the said nozzle more proportionately flared relatively to its exit, and therefore the entrained air is drawn in at higher velocity as well as in greater quantity.

All water spray is kept by the air-foil from contact with the propeller" fan, with the aid of this orifice and the entraining action of the fan stream within' As speed of-the craft increases,-

the suction lift over the top of the plane-body and wingincreases. and the ram effect below does likewise. The point is soon reached where nofan pressure is required to support the craft but a very considerable weight of air must be forced rearward. Many times the amount of air handled directly by the fan is now entrained at the lower sector of its circumference, and the vessel rising, permits more air to enter under the bow. flaps 8 and be entrained by that already in active rearward propulsive motion. Gradually the craft rises to a height where the'ground has no further effect upon the manner of operation deunder and ahead of the plane is re-' scribed;.and1 altitude: becomes limited only by the air: density and the jet power of the plane. At

the leading edge, the flaps 8 are and should be held against the inner pressure by the cylinders 25, the pressure of which is'maintained' bythe' flaps 8 will be drawn into the position 8 shownin dotted lines.

-The mixture of compressed air, and gasexhaust, in. the pressure chamber below the floor, which has been by the diffusion effect of. said chamber brought to a very highdegree of pressure, greatly beyond atmospheric, has first created air cushion. and pressure lift under the fioorof the craft, maintaining it not only on and at the water surface or immediately above the same, but also, to a-varied extent, in any desired altitude, depending upon speed. The said compressed air mixture also is impelled rearwardly in the pressure chamber under the craft to the tail thereof, where it leaves the trailing edge in. a wide jet. At this point it encounters the tailflaps 1', or the flaps60 attached at the under'surface thereof, and the high pressure of the airmixture within the pressure chamber is transferred to a high velocity jet, leaving the tail at a high speed as well' as with considerable force, as a powerful jet, of great propulsive force, with such entrainment effects, hereinafter described, as will. be sufficient to advance the" craft at speeds far above any hitherto produced in such vessels. Such vessels may, in full flight, approach the speed of sound, with loadv carrying capacity greatly in excess of any planes of comparable size and engines, known thus far.

The strong propulsive rearward current set up under the tail by suction. draws down the air over the said tail, and forces it rearwardly in ad-' dition to said initial current, entraining this air down the upper surface of the body and inclined tail through the channels 23 between the trailing edge of the flaps I and the fuel tanks 6. The entire propulsive current passes under said fuel tanks, and the under surface thereof bein upwardly curved, this, with the waters surface beneath, produces a diffusing effect in which the air pressure rises to propel the craft and lift the tank, and the air from over the tanks is entrained by the blast beneath and reduces the pressure above the tanks. The tail end of the pressure chamber is curved: downwardly and rearwardly which materially assists in the change ofpressure to velocity. v

The tail jet passing close to the surface especially acts upon and picks up thewater, sand, or other surface matter and entrains-the same with and into said jet, or rearward current, materially augmenting theweight' of this rearward air current by such addition of matter,

thereby increasing the efficiency of the jet propulsion. The rear flaps l have the pressure upon their under sides, that is, against. the flaps 60,-

which is opposite to the pressure-condition of the flaps 8, and thus the cylinders 25 at rear are set so as to hold said flaps against rearward pressure-normally. When a wave-trough reduces the 'pressure against the flap 60, the cylinder piston is pushed out thus dropping the flap,

diminishing the pressure: in. the: cylinder at rear,' so: as; not to exert as much pressure upon the flap,'thereby keeping the tip 34 thereof higher above-the wave trough than at its crest.

craft. Y

It is also important that the side sealing flap 24 overlap as stated, to prevent leakage as far The: air pressure in the: reservoir. 35 feeding the rear of" the cylinder'25 governing the flap 1, is adjusted in accordance with the speed and.

load of the craft in order that the tip 34' of said flap may remain at an average correct height cylinder-pressure required to hold the flap down,-

and the space between said flap tip 34 and the surface beneath is accordingly increased, thereby increasing' the flow'of air leaving the pressure chamber until the decrease of pressure under said flap due to such outflow, balancesthe pressure decrease in the cylinder;

The drop of the-flap I in said trough has alsoincreased accordingly the width of the channels 23 in the tail, correspondingly increasing the volume of air entrained down said tail through said channels, to an extent proportional to the increase in outflow beneath the flap; The said flaps i and the cylinders controlling the same,

therefore also operate in this manner to 'maintain efiiciency of entrainment through said channels independentlyof change of position of said 'flaps" due to wave-troughs and wave-crests.

-The under surface of the pressure chamber at the tailrbeing'curved downwardly and rearwardly, and that of the fuel tanks being curved upwardly and rearwardly, there is primarily the effect of retaining the pressure within until the flap tips 34 are approximately reached, whereat' the pressure energy is transformed to velocity energy, and the described entrainment through the channels 23 and from the surface beneath, is effected; and secondarily, there'is a final stage of diffusion caused by said curved under surface"- of the tanks 5, in which the curved widening of the space between the water or other surface and the fuel tanks, again by diffusion transforms velocity energy into pressure energy, and greatly increases the power of the entire propulsive stream, as. well as entraining air over the top of said tanks as stated, to add a new lift to said tank-top surface.

While the flaps I must be spaced so as not to contact the rear braces 6|, the lower flaps do approximately contact one another and so prevent loss of air between them, thus giving maximum lift and air velocity under the flap tip for maximum entrainment of water and air. When the pressure beneath the ship operates against the flaps 60 and 1, to force said flaps rearwardly, they obviously reduce the width of the channels 23 in the tail between the fuel tanks 6 and the-remainder of the tail of the and the other bearings must be attached to the underside or bottom of the hull nearer its centre line with braces extending to the points on the flaps requiring support. By the mounting of these. flaps as shown,- any leakagebetween them will not pass outlaterally as waste or loss, but will be directed-rearwards as part of thepressure flow, with advantage-to propulsion instead; 7 lin the useofthe invention as; an aircraft,

fintrain the air' from and makessmoother water conditions for planes approaching from the rear for a landing or reembarkation aboard; theleveling of the water at rear makes the air-pockets above of smaller magnitude, and the blast of air at the tail lifts a plane slightly when it is about to make too low a landing, thereby placing it safely upon the carrier deck. In the form shown in Figure 7, with the wings, it is adapted for either plane or carrier, skimming or fligh I have shown suflicient means for assurin lateral and longitudinal stability" with these wings, the front fin, the large rear fin 3 and rudder 4, said fins being-made of any size desired and supplemented by as many more as found useful; and the fuel tanks 6 being at the rear, may also be used for stabilization, as fully described in my co-pending application Serial No, 336,545, previously referred to. These fuel tanks, having pipes 30 therein, leading forward,

can be emptied partially into'any portion of the front of the craft to which in practice such pipes may have been led, thus distributing and transferring the weight of the fuel as described in my said application. Any other additional measures of stabilization 'in my several applications specified, or any other commonly known in the art, maybe employed; and many other modifications, additions or alterations in details may also be made without departing from the essence of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An aircraft formed with a pressure chamber beneath its floor, an engine and a compressor fan mounted in the nose of the craft, adiffusion passage or portion in said chamber shaped to reduce or transform the velocity energy of the fan intohigh pressure energy, an entrainment nozzle at the leading edge directed into the path of "the; fan-air stream, opening into the pressure chamber, whereby the said entrained air will be mixed with the said fan-air stream, and power added to it 'by the compressor, means for sealing the front, sides and rear of the pressure chamber, and the said pressure chamber discharging in a propulsion jet at the tail of the craft ejecting the compressed air of the pressure chamber, and discharging under the rear sealing means to re-transform. the high'pressure energy into high velocity energy, to entrain the air from over the her, in the path of the fan stream, whereby air and water spray are entrained by said fan stream through the said entrainment nozzle and mixed with the same, the

said pressure chamber'discharging in atail-jet at its rear, means at the tailfor re-transforming the high pressure energy f oflthei. dischargeintovelocity energy, and also a above the craftdown the tail to said tail-jet, andto entrain water, sand a 'or' other surface matter into fusively constructed pressure chamber, of a com pressor fan mounted in relation to the engine -to discharge compressed air over and around the exteriorof said engine, having a conical hub and a circle'of blades of which the tips extend in an annular discharge area beyond the housing of said engine, the said blades being separate and circumferentially parallel, with uniform projection at said circumference, and each blade being separately cambered, and longer at its leading edge than at its trailing edge; and the said pressure chamber discharging the compressed air therein, in a propulsive jet at the tail of the craft. 4. In an aircraft, the combination with an engine and "compressor fan mounted beneath the leading edge of the craft, and a diifusively constructed pressure chamber into which said fan discharges, whereby velocity energy of the compressed air is measurably transformed into high pressure energy, of an air-foil pivotally mounted below thenose of the craft, of a shape and in a position to deflect downwardly and forwardly all Water spray and head-on air, and also to form withthe fan-casing an entrainment nozzle, of which the mouth is wide and forwardly flared, the throat contracted rearwardly, the pivoting of the air-foil being suchthat depression of its leading edgewill widen its mouth, the exit of said entrainment nozzle lying in contact with the path of the fan-stream, to be entrained thereby through said nozzle into the pressure chamber and rearwardly to the tail, the said pressure chamber discharging the compressed air therein,

in a propulsive jet at the tail of the craft.

5. An aircraft provided with a pressure cham ber beneath the floor of the same, an engine and compressor fan in the nose thereof, means for transforming the velocity enelgy of the entering air measurably into high pressure energy in the pressure chamber, an entrainment orifice and nozzle below the engine to receive head-on air and, water spray, to mingle with the air from the fan, said nozzle lying in the path of said fan stream whereby the blast from said fan entrains said air and water spray through the nozzle into the said fan-stream, the said pressure chamber discharging in a propulsive jet at the tail of the craft, and means whereby said tail-jet entrains the air from over the tail to saidtail-Jet, the roof of the craft and its tail being cambered and inclined, and provided with channels through 60 into the rear propulsive current.

6. In an aircraft, the combination with powermeans for drawing air under the craft and retaining the same in sufficient constant volume and pressure to support the craft upon or above a surface,and at a greater air pressure than surrounding atmospheric pressure, and means for transforming measurably the velocity energy of the indrawnair to pressure energy, of means for re-transforming pressure energy to velocity energy at the tai1 of the craft, means for directing the overhead air to the location below the craft Where the conversion of pressure to velocity energy has taken place, means for entraining said overhead air with the higher velocity converted air from the ,underneath propulsive stream, whereby simultaneously the entrainment of said upper air will increase the lift upon the top surface of the craft, and add the mass of such entrained air to the 'weight' of the propulsive air power-means, whereby air and water spray are drawn into the, pressure chamber with energy and velocity added to the same .by such entrainment, the said pressure chamber discharging 1ts compressed air in a propulsive jet rat the tail of the craft, and the rear source being under entrainment by the said compressed air discharge or exit jet of the pressure chamber, and comprising meansfor drawing air down the tail from over the roof of the craft, and adding the same at a high velocity to the propulsive tail-exit jet.

8. In an aircraft provided with a pressure chamber beneath its floor, and an engine and compressor fan discharging air thereinto, the said pressure chamber discharging said air at its rear in an exit propulsive jet; means for sealing the sides of the craft and the said chamber, consisting of two series of plates or flaps hung from the hull, depending vertically to contact a surface beneath, pivoted to move upwardly on a perpendicular arc, and normally contacting the surface below, the sides of the said plates or flaps being opposed against the exit of pressure-air laterally from said pressure chamber, each series of saidplates or flaps being mutually closely adjacent to form a complete lateral seal, and all being independently movable whereby various of said plates or flaps will rise with the crest of 'waves and fall into wave-troughs;

9. In an aircraft provided with a pressure chamber beneath its floor, and an engine and compressor fan both located at the front of the craft discharging air thereinto, the saidpressure chamber discharging said air at its rear in an exit propulsive jet; means for sealing the sides of the pressure chamber against lateral egress of air therefrom, consisting of a series of depending flaps on each side of the hull hanging from pivots and dropping into contact with the water beneath, and rising and falling therewith to maintain a lateral enclosure of'said pressure chamber, means for sealing the front of the pressure chamber consisting of flaps pivoted at top beneath the bow of the craft and depending therefrom, and normally closed to'seal the said pressure chamber atfront; anda flap or flaps at the rear end of said pressure chamber within the longitudinal dimensions of the craft, combining with the side sealing flaps to form a complete enclosure of the entire pressure chamber from the forward portion of the craft to said I rear end of the pressure chamber, the said tail flaps being pivoted to swing upwardly. within the said longitudinal dimensions of the craft, and downwardly, with the waves, and being normally forced out and rearwardly up, by the compressed air entering the pressure chamber at front and passing through the same to its tail.

10. An aircraft provided with a pressure chamber beneath its floor, an'engine and compressor "fan discharging .aii' 'thereintoythe said pressure chamber dischargingin apropulsive jet at "the tail of the craft, means for .sealing'the sides .of the pressure chamber against lateral egress of air therefrom, consisting of a series of depending plates or flaps on each side of thehull; means both the front and rear flaps respectively, to hold' them normally opposed against the pressure of the compressed air within the chamber.

11. An aircraft comprising a hollow shell or body formed with a roof having a rearward camber and inclined down at the tail to the surface on which the craft operates, having itsfioor connected at or near the top thereof to the roof at the leading edge, and formedwith a flared nose and a large pressure chamber rearward thereof and connecting therewith, an engine and compressor fan mounted at or near the leading edge, the engine housing-contributing to form said pressure chamber into a diffusion passage or portion at front behindithe fan, and said fan discharging circumferentially over and around said housing, whereby velocity energy is transformed measurably into pressure energy by and' in said diffusion passage and'chamber, an exhaust for said engine passagedbehind the fan and being compressed and mingled with the discharge from said fan, an orifice and nozzle being formed below the nose to admit air independently of the main air inlet to the fan, said nozzle discharging in the path of the fan-stream whereby air and water spray are entrained at high velocity through said nozzle and mingled with the air and exhaust; the said pressure chamber discharging its compressed air at the tail of the craft in a propulsive jet whereby the ejection of the contents .ofsaid chamber will form alsoa second source of entrainment at said tail, channels in the tail directing the air from over the roof and down the inclined tail surface to unite with and be entrained downwardly and rearwardly by and in the propulsive tail-jet.

12. .An aircraft having a pressure chamber,

1 an engine and a compressor fan delivering there-- into, all arranged and constructed to transform the air velocity energy into pressure energy; a source of air inlet to the fan direct; and tween-- trainment devices, one at front and one at rear, whereby the fan-stream entrains air independent thereof, the first entrainment devicecomprising a deflecting air-foil mounted at a distance beneath the nose of the plane, a separate inlet orifice and nozzle formed between said air-foil and the fan-casing, and the second entrainment device comprising channels in the tail," an inclined surface on said tail, and the pressure chamber disng ts contents at its rear in a propulsive jet ejected in the path of the air through the channels, to entrain the air coming down the tail from .overits roof; all whereb the head-on air at front is utilized at high velocityadded to the fan-direct-sir, and whereby the tail-jet both adds water, and quantit of air from above to the jet with increased powerfand lift and thrust.

'13. An aircraft formed withiapressure chamber beneath its floor, commencing at the roof of the craft, a hollow noSe under said floor communicating therewith, and outwardly flared rearwardly, an engine and compressor fan mounted therein, the housing of said engine forming with the nose and floor a diffusion passage or portion in said pressure chamber, the fan being formed with a conical hub and a circle of blades each cambered and longer at the leading edge than at the trailing edge thereof, an entrainment orifice and nozzle formed at the leading edge beneath the main air inlet or nose entrance, a pivoted air-foil contributing to form said nozzle and adapted to widen its mouth, a flap or flaps pivoted below the air-foil, normally retracted, the said air-foil and flap forming a deflector means to direct head-on air and water spray under said flap, the said nozzle ejecting into the fan-stream whereby the fan stream entrains the air therethrough with high velocity and mingles it with the compressed air; the pressure chamber discharging its contents at the tail of the craft in a propulsive jet,

14. An aircraft formed with a pressure chamber beneath its floor, commencing at the roof of the craft, a hollow nose under said floor communicating therewith, said nose being outwardly flared, rearwardly, an engine and compressor fan mounted in said nose, the housing of said engine forming with the nose and the floor an annular diffusion passage around said housing, leading into said pressure chamber, the fan projecting beyond said housing circumferentially, and discharging around the same, whereby the velocity energy of the fan-stream of air is trans formed measurably into high pressure energy, an exhaust opening from the engine into the diffusion passage and pressure chamber, an air-foil at the leading edge of the craft, under the nose, pivoted at its rear and top-cambered to form with the oppositely flared fan-casing a wide orifice and nozzle flared forwardly and narrowed rearwardly, and adapted to move down to widen the mouth of the orifice and nozzle, means for holding the air-foil in normally adjusted position, the said nozzle lying in the path of the fanstream whereby head-on air and water spray are entrained thereby and forced into the pressure chamber, front flaps pivoted rearwardly of the air-foil and normally retracted, perpendicular sealing flaps on each side of the hull and vertically movable to contact the surface below the pressure chamber, and normally held down, rear flaps depending at the tail, and normally held closed, the pressure chamber discharging against the front of said rear flaps, in a propulsive jet transforming high pressure energy inside the chamber back into high velocity and propulsive thrust, and entraining air from over the craftroof down the tail into said exit jet or current, the tail being formed with an inclined upper surface, and channels therein through which the air is entrained by said tail-jet.

15. Anaircraft designed to operate above a land or water surface, comprising a body having a roof cambered at the forward portion and inclined down at the tail, and a bottom portion constructed to maintain an air pressure beneath the same, an opening at the nose, power means to draw air in through said opening, means forming another opening below said leading edge, means for entraining spray filled air through said lower opening by the same power means as at the nose, an adjustable device permitting increase of both entrance and throat of said lower opening, a sealing device below said entrainment opening, the lower part of said sealing device comprising flaps adjusted to move up and down over waves in the surface beneath, means to automatically control the pressure of the flaps on the surface below, adjustable flaps at the tail of the craft, and means to maintain these at a height above the water varying with the speed of the craft.

16. An aircraft provided with an engine and a compressor fan, a pressure chamber beneath said aircraft into which said fan delivers air, which said chamber diffuses said air and transforms its velocity energy into pressure energy, the pressure chamber discharging at the tail of the craft in a propulsive jet, a rear flap thereat, means for governing the rear flap in such manner that the.

distance between the tip of the flap and the surface below varies according to the depth of any depression in said surface.

17. .An aircraft provided with an engine and a compressor fan, a pressure chamber beneath said aircraft into which said fan delivers air, which said chamber diffuses the air and transforms its velocity energy into pressure energy, the pressure chamber discharging at the tail of the craft in a propulsive jet, channels at the tail, a rear flap thereat, the under surface of .the craft being downwardly and rearwardly curved to reduce pressure energy again to velocity energy, and fuel tanks at the rear of the craft provided. with a rearwardly and upwardly curved under surface to entrain air from over the top of the tanks and also to measurably re-transform velocity energy to pressure energy by difiusion under said curved surface.

18. In an aircraft the combination with an enine located in the nose of the craft, and formed with a dilfusively constructed pressure chamber, of a compressor fan mounted in front of said engine and discharging compressed air over and around the exterior of said engine, said fan having a conical hub and a circle of blades of which the tips extend in an annular discharge area beyond the housing of said engine, the said blades being separate and circumferentially parallel, with uniform projection thereof at said circumference, and each blade being separately cam- .bered and each of the same being longer at its leading edge than at its trailing edge; the said pressure chamber being open beneath the bottom of the craft, to the water or other surface,

19. In an aircraft as set forth in claim 8, each said side plates being laterall inwardly located from another more forwardly located plate whereby any air escaping between said plates will escape in a rearward direction and thereby produce thrust forwardly.

20. In an aircraft as set forth in claim 8 the leading edge of each said plate extending downwardly and rearwardly in a gradually decreasing curve to approach a horizontal straight line, whereby as each side plate moves up and down over waves the said lower surfaces may practically conform with the top surface of said waves, whereby no considerable mass of air may escape laterally.

DOUGLAS K. WARNER. 

